What a beautifully sweet picture book! The art is beautiful, and I love all the discussion and obvious love for nature that MacKay pulls out in Frostfire. I would love a paper copy to read to my toddler!

This is a beautiful winter story with two fox sisters taking a walk through snow and frost while the older sister tells stories of a frost dragon. Both characters are surprised when the little sister then gets to meet one!
It's a very cute and serene story but it ends quite abruptly. I was hoping for more on the frost dragon, perhaps a parallel to disprove the stories the older sister told, or at least a longer mention of their journey back home after having seen the dragon.
My 4 year old enjoyed the story, but also wanted more pages with pictures of the dragon.

🦊This wonderfully whimsical children's tale about two fox sisters in search of a snow dragon is a perfectly short & sweet wintry tale for little ones. The soft, ethereal illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and so soothing to look at.. The soft pastel colors and swirling whorls of snow are sure to awaken your child's sense of wonder at the winter season. My son and I loved this book & I would highly recommend it to others! I would rate this short tale 5 snowflakes! ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Sisters Miriam and Celeste enjoy a walk on a lightly snowing day, with elder sister Miriam thrilling and (just a little) frightening her little sister with descriptions of “snow dragons.” Celeste is determined to be brave…until she meets a real snow dragon!

The artwork of this book reminds me so much of paper dolls. Because that’s basically what it is! These are not drawings, but photographs of drawings. This gives each scene an amazing 3D effect, while also having very flat characters. This is the sort of artistic innovation that I’d expect to see from a Caldecott nominee (MacKay, being Canadian, wouldn’t be eligible).

Overall, this book is charming, and perfect for the coming (hopefully) cold months. Since there’s no holiday elements, it cold have some great utility in classrooms. Perhaps kids could create their own snow dragons?

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

This was such a cute children’s book!
The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. Very whimsical and fun little tale, I think most children would love. Especially if they love dragons or the wintertime.💗

What a lovely story and book!!! I found it very captivating and sweet. :) I will definitely recommend this to parents and children at the library. There's something nostalgic to me about the art (I am a child of the 90s) and I could see this becoming a book that children remember lovingly when they grow up - which is just about the highest compliment I can give.

Really well done! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I adored it.

Beautifully illustrated picture book celebrating big and little sisters, the magical quality of imagination, snowy walks and story telling. Perfect read after a winter day frolicking in the snow - cozy up with some cocoa and the lovely story.

Frostfire is a beautifully illustrated story about two sisters going for a walk in the winter. On their walk, they discuss their environment and whether snow dragons are real.

The dragon in this book is so dynamic and beautiful. I've never seen one so artfully created, and I've seen a lot of dragons (not in real life - YET). She's all white, ethereal, and powerful. Yet, she's incredibly graceful around humans. All of the images in this book are exceptional. I'd love to see it in print, especially if the printers will add any sheen or sparkle to the pages. Everything pictured is dreamlike and gorgeous. All the snow is so white and crisp, and the clouds and trees have dragon-like features.

Two things for me are amiss:

1. The plot. There isn't really a message in the book, at least not one that will knock you over. I suppose the theme is imagination and the importance of keeping an open mind regardless of age. But I might have purely manufactured that theme, as I'm still determining what the story was after, aside from showing a gorgeous beast and breathtaking scenery.

2. The ending. There is the part about finding the snow dragon, and the book just ends.

So, with no real story and proper ending, I'm still determining what the book's goal was, aside from exposing the reader to the artwork. Based on the illustrations, it isn't a stretch for the author to create a much stronger story or at least one with a purpose and an ending.

If you're looking to discuss something with your reader other than the pretty images, consider chatting about the realities of finding a dragon in the wild. As I've been reading several books about cryptids lately, I wondered if a dragon qualifies as one.

Seeing how some people believe dragons exist in the wild even though science has never substantiated any and the Indiana University's science blog lists dragons as cryptids, I feel good sharing my non-expert opinion that snow dragons could be considered cryptids.

And alas, that means that there is a possibility that the snow dragons in this book are out there. You just need to escape to your nearest snowy winter wonderland to check. Oh, and keep an open mind and have fun :) It doesn't snow here, but if it did, I'd make a little Reading Rainbow episode of my own that included reading this book and searching for snow dragons in the snow banks, trees, and clouds.

While it pains me to rate this book lower than a 5 (based on the illustrations alone), 4 stars seems fair, given the monumental challenges that exist within the story. I'd recommend checking this book out at the library or picking it up at a bookstore to view the imagery alone.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Elly MacKay, and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of Frostfire.

I adored this fantastical, whimsical "sibling story", about embracing your imagination, and your sense of wonder. It was beautifully illustrated, and AS a younger sister, it also felt deeply relatable. I adored this, and look forward to sharing this book with the little ones in my life.

Gorgeous illustrations are a guarantee in this wintery children’s book. Unfortunately the ending is abrupt, the dangers of the cold are never discussed (one page says they go farther than ever but doesn’t elaborate on why or if she’s getting cold…), and the imagination piece is many a bit too subtle for children. I just didn’t really feel like there was a purpose to the story, or really a direction it was headed. I suppose one might argue that children’s books can just be beautiful; but I prefer ones with a purpose, message, or cautions.

This Canadian artist and writer certainly knows many things that could be said about snow, ice, and winter which is maybe why I found Frostfire so underwhelming. There was a lot more that could have been done here and sadly the opportunities were lost in the pages instead.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about this story that gave me cozy, fairytale vibes. While my 4-year-old wasn’t as engaged, I think it would be perfect for slightly older kids who could appreciate the whimsical fantasy elements. It’s sweet, heartwarming, and captures the magic of a classic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I have enjoyed Elly Mackay's illustrations in other books, so when I saw that she was author and illustrator of a new book, I had to request it from NetGalley. It's a wonderful treat made of words, art and imagination. The story opens with two sisters, walking in a winter landscape. The older sister is telling the younger about the snow dragon, hoping to scare her a little, I think. But the younger sister is not willing to be cowed and sets off to explore. What will she find in the snowy landscape? This is a great book for snuggling or for a storytime gathering. I love winter and Elly MacKay has captured the beauty and wonder of it in Frostfire.

"Follow dragon-expert Miriam and curious Celeste on a magical winter's day walk through their garden, where a snow dragon just might be hiding! Elly MacKay's luminous artwork and sweet sibling story will cast a spell over readers of all ages in this playfully imaginative picture book that's perfect for fans of Frozen.

On a walk through a snow-covered garden, big sister Miriam claims to hear the sound of a snow dragon. Little sister Celeste has lots of questions: snow dragons are real? Where do they hide? What do they eat? And is that frost on the greenhouse windows or is it...frostfire?

Miriam seems to have an answer for everything about snow dragons. But when Celeste wanders off, she has a magical encounter that changes everything she thought she knew.

Told through gently playful dialogue and brought to life with spectacular works of paper diorama art, Elly Mackay's newest picture book is an enchanting wintertime adventure destined to become a classic seasonal fairy tale that readers will enjoy for years to come."

Oh my, so much to love here, foxes and dragons on a winters day!

Two fox sisters Miriam and Celeste walk through a snowy landscape. The older sees the beauty around them, and spins tales for younger sister of snow dragons, whom she pretends live in the wintry forest. Imagine the younger sister’s thrilling surprise on meeting one!

The illustrations are beautiful, and evoke the quiet of the forest, the light under trees and that reflected off the snow. I remember going to a story reading by the author years ago, where she also demonstrated how she created a luminous look to her scenes, which is evident in each scene as the two sisters traverse the snow covered ground.

The story is quiet and meditative, which the images echo, while also stimulating the imagination.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A sweet, cozy, whimsical story with lovely art to match. Frostfire is a charming and heartwarming book, perfect for a wintery bedtime read aloud.

Thanks to the publisher for the advance review copy.

Told with such stunning pieces of art, Frostfire follows sibling Foxes by the names of Miriam and her little sister Celeste. The two are exploring the winter wonderland where they live when Miriam adds a little excitement to their journey by telling her sister about the existence of snow dragons. Are they friendly? Do they snack on princesses for food?

Maybe they’re here right now… hidden in the trees where we can’t see them…


The perfect little children's book to spark wonder in the youth. The characters were a joy to follow and its short plot was very cleanly concluded in the end. My only gripe is I wish it was longer so that I could see more of the lovely artwork. 4/5-star rating from me.


My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the Digital Advanced Reader’s Copy. This book is expected to be published October 1st, 2024.

In Frostfire, Miriam and Celeste are playing outside when they find ice and snow glittering all around them. During their conversation, the sisters talk about snow dragons and how they live in wintery white snow. Yes, dragons exist! According to Miriam, the dragons collect all of the diamond dust. A snow dragon is a sneaky creature that is hard to find. To find a snow dragon, Celeste decides to look around every snowbank. Celeste decides to be brave and go looking for a snow dragon while her sister Miriam builds a snow fort to protect them from the snow dragons. What are the chances of Celeste finding a snow dragon?

This is a gorgeous book, and I love the characters. The only complaint I have is that the ending was too abrupt. I would’ve liked to see more interaction with the character they meet in the woods.

What a beautiful, delightful, whimsical book, centered around two fox sisters and their search for snow dragons. The older sister, Miriam, is the self proclaimed expert on dragons, guiding her younger sister, Celeste, in searching for them. The language used is picturesque and calming. This would be a perfect winter bedtime story.

The pictures are outstanding. They are so beautiful, detailed and inviting. Winter landscapes and light are portrayed across the pages. The illustrator makes effective use of color, juxtaposing the fox children and their coats against the whites and silvers of winter.

A beautiful dream of a picturebook that manages to capture the old magic of Brambley Hedge and Beatrix Potter in a wholly new way. A must for any child's bookshelf at Christmas.